Ramsey loses second staff member

Published March 22, 2012 at 7:03 am

A second top staff member of the city of Ramsey has resigned.
Ramsey’s Economic Development/Marketing Manager Aaron Backman has resigned to become the Economic Development Authority (EDA) executive director the city of Windom. His last day will be March 23. File photo by Tammy Sakry

Aaron Backman, the city’s economic development and marketing manager, will be leaving today (Friday, March 23) to return to Windom as its Economic Development Authority (EDA) executive director.

Backman worked for the city of Windom from 2007 to 2010 as the EDA executive director.

He was hired by Ramsey in November 2010.

During his time with Ramsey, Backman also served as the EDA manager, organized economic development and marketing events, business retention and relationship management, tracked and reported on the city’s tax increment finance (TIF) and job creation, handled the right of way acquisition program management for the city as part of the Metropolitan Council Right-of-Way Acquisition Loan Fund (RALF) program and worked at the direction of Heidi Nelson, the deputy city administrator/community development director.

Nelson’s resignation was announced Feb. 28. She will be leaving in April to become the Wayzata city manager.

“I have been honored to work for the city of Ramsey and have enjoyed interacting with the local businesses and EDA members, who are great volunteers,” Backman said. The city’s business community has so many talented people, he said.

Although he was with the city for short time, “I feel like I accomplished a lot of things,” Backman said.

Among the things that took place under Backman’s watch was MultiSource Manufacturing LLC moving into the old Harber Industries building, the start of a new sit-down restaurant in The COR, relocating two business to Highway 10 sites and renting out all of the city owned RALF properties on Highway 10.